Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ When You Least Expect ❯ Death of a Loyal Soldier ( Chapter 18 )

Disclaimer: Ahem…*walks away*

AN: Chapter took a little longer than I expected but it's finally here. And who is it dedicated to you asked? Well to hippiechick and tinie of course! Thanks for all your `little' reminders guys! Well enjoy!

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The guards dragged the girls roughly down the well-lit corridor.

"Keep it moving," the woman ordered as she pushed Bulma forward.

The hall came to an end at a set of double door and Zarbon pressed a button on the keypad causing them to slide apart. They entered what appeared to be the deck and the guards halted their charges at the door while Zarbon continued towards a large chair in the center of all the room's activity. Dropping to one knee, he dipped his head so low that his long green ponytail brushed the floor.

"Lord Frieza, I've brought you the captives," he said in a soft subservient tone.

For said captives, everything moved in slow motion as the chair's owner turned to them. The pink lizard-like creature with horns stood from his seat and walked towards them. All crew members halted in their movements as their leader approached the two females. His eyes roamed over them before stopping on Bulma's face.

"I assume that you are the prized princess everyone's been after. To be honest I really don't see what all the fuss is over," he finally spoke.

Bulma held her chin high and met his stare evenly. "Now that I've met the great Lord Frieza I would have to say the same."

Silence ensued, for no one insulted the Great Frieza without paying for it dearly. It was utter shock all around when Frieza did nothing more than release a cruel chuckle that was only half amused.

"My, my, my, aren't we spirited? To bad I hate spirit and enjoy crushing it. I think I'll have a lot of fun with you princess."

Bulma shrunk back from his icy tone producing another manic cackle from the tyrant.

"Not so feisty now, are we?" he mocked.

"What is the meaning of this?"

Frieza turned to the door as the snarled words reached his ears and found his former partner watching him with daggers for eyes.

"Well if isn't the Great Cell. How wonderful of you to grace us with your presence."

Cell entered the room and stopped before the cocky Frieza, anger seeping from his every pour though his face remained terrifyingly calm. "I was not informed that we would be making any stops and I demanded to know what's going on."

Frieza teeth ground together. "You see that's just the problem. Apparently you're under the impression that you hold a position of power here. Let me set something straight for you. You are nothing more than a slimy green insect meant to be squashed beneath my boot-"

Frieza continued his spill unaware that nobody, save for Cell himself, was listening to him but instead focused their attention on the rhythmic way the taller villain's tail was slapping the floor. The two prisoners, as well as the deck's crew, watched in slow motion as the appendage whipped forward with the tip slightly expanded and leached onto the center of the orator's throat.

Frieza was too stunned to move until he felt a vacuum like sucking pressure coming from the other alien's tail and he immediately wrapped his powerful hands around the attachment trying to tug it away to no avail. The sound of his own flesh ripping rung in his ears as the pressure increased.

"W-what are y-you do-d-?" Frieza struggled.

"I'm tired of hearing your voice so I'm ripping your throat out," Cell explained with a cruel grin as he sucked the life from his enemy as slowly as possible. "You see Frieza you've served your purpose. I see that your crew has found the blue-hared princess for me and now you become expendable."

Realization dawned in Frieza's fear-filled eyes just before his throat caved in on itself. No longer having any support his head rolled back, his now empty eyes staring at the two terrified girls. Cell continued to suck the life from the tyrant until the limp bag of skin he now was slipped to the floor. Cell looked over his handy work before crushing the still completely intact skull under the heel of his booted foot.

Bulma and Eighteen clung to each other as they watched the whole scene in stunned horror and Bulma barely contain a shriek of fear when the green creature turned his eyes to them.

"Zarbon," the creature called over his shoulder keeping his eyes on the princess.

Zarbon, who was still on one knee, tried to shake away the shock of what he had just witnessed. Always one quick on the uptake he realized there had just been a change in power and was speedy to change his frail allegiance. "Yes Lord Cell?"

"Where is the Saiyan spacecraft now?"

Zarbon cleared the fear from his throat and motioned towards the large observation window. "It crash landed on the small planet below."

"And the Saiyan Prince?" he inquired watching the princess' features for a reaction. The one he got was of surprise, fear, and undeniable intrigue.

"Well I didn't deal with him personally but Juuanagou reported that he put him out of commission though not permanently."

"That's lucky for him," Cell commented then added to himself, "It shouldn't be long then."

"Do you want to send a party after him, my lord?"

"No," Cell said without pause as he walked towards the girls. "I have a feeling that he'll come to us. Right princess?" Her only answer was a shudder of fear and he smiled cruelly. "Zarbon, have this peasant taken back to her cell and the Princess cleaned up and sent to my quarters."

"Yes my lord," Zarbon bowed as the ship's new commander left the room, stepping over his latest victim's remains as he went.

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Krillin and Radditz entered the infirmary to complete bedlam. All over the room the picture was the same. Bloody and mangled flesh was spread as far as the eye could see. The sight caused an undeniable ache in Radditz's heart. The proud people that he had idolized since leaving them as a small child lay here broken and bleeding many under white sheets never to say the proud name of Saiyan-jin again.

Leaving his companion behind Radditz continued into the room, surveying the damage secretly praying that he wouldn't find the stubborn princess he'd come to know as a friend.

The pathetic moans and whimpers from such a proud people made him physically ill. The Mongolian doctors and nurses rushed from table to table doing what they could until the planet's many regeneration tanks were ready for occupancy. Most of the patients waited in agony for either death or a life-giving miracle, however, one patient that caught the gentled Saiyan's eye was not. As he made his way over to the table he watched the bald solder frighten away another nurse.

"Stay away from me! I don't need aid from the likes of you! I need- I need-I-" his tirade came to a premature end as his whole body was shook by a terrible coughing fit that left a trickle of blood flowing down his chin.

The medical personal only watched him with a mix of pity and horror, wanting to help but fearing his wrath. Radditz pushed pass the stunned idiots and approached the man picking up a cloth as he did. He shoved the rag in the other man's face when his coughing subsided some. The massive man took the rag and tossed it back at Radditz without looking up as he leaned back on the makeshift bed.

"That's no way to get people to help you," Radditz commented as he watched the man struggle to breathe.

"I don't ne- help from such a- weak pe- people such as yo-u," he struggled out, blood flowing from his lips as he did.

"I'll have you know, the Saiyan-jin race is the greatest in existence," Radditz told him calmly. That obviously got the man's attention for he turned his pained hooded gaze to long hared man and looked him over critically. He took in his coloring, his proud stance, and finally the long brown tail that in a rare moment Radditz had let hang free.

"You are Saiyan-jin," he finally spoke with great effort.

Radditz nodded, though it really hadn't been a question.

"You- you must do something then," he said before his large form began to shake violently again.

"Doctor!" Radditz called only to be stopped when the man grabbed his arm. Using his last reserves of strength, the man pulled Radditz back to him taking a firm hold of his attention.

"It's too late for me but you mu- must do some- thing. You hav- to find the prince. His survival far outweighs that of-" Radditz waited patiently through the man's coughing fit sensing that something urgent was happening. At the end of the spell, the man spit out a large amount of blood and gore before continuing. "The survival of the legendary far exce-exceeds that of any Saiyan dying here today. Give yo- your wor- as a Saiyan that you'll find him and see to- his-"

Radditz quickly nodded as the other man's lids began to droop and his body started to shake as the last regiment of life prepared to leave his body.

"How will I know him?!" Radditz demanded trying to get whatever information he could before the man slipped into the next dimension.

"Hi- h- neck…the ma- mark," the loyal warrior spoke finally before his body jolted and then went limp. As the soldier's grip loosened on his arm, Radditz stepped away. With one last nod towards the man, he motioned for the medical staff to proceed with taking care of the body.

He was still mulling over his new duties when he walked back over to his friend. It wasn't until he reached the other man that he realized his brother had joined them.

"What happened?!" Kakarot asked as he looked around in horror.

"A Saiyan spacecraft crashed," Radditz said meaningfully hoping that his sometime simple brother would get the message.

"Saiyan spacecraft? But why would one of those be in this sector?" Kakarot asked truly confused.

"This is Isles future king?" Krillin asked sarcastically.

Radditz shook his head and tried to break things down. "Kakarot think. Why would a Saiyan spacecraft like the one we're chasing be in this sector?"

Kakarot considered this for a moment before his obsidian eyes widened. "You don't think that Bulm- I mean she couldn't have been in this crash, right?"

"She hasn't been brought in that I've seen but I just don't see any other reason for the craft to be in Mon-"

"My Lord!"

All three men turned as Nissa came running towards them. "My lord, there has been reports of more wreckage on the west side of the quarry but we don't have the man power search for survivors. What do you want us to do?"

The midget monarch quickly looked up at his brawny friend who looked to his brother.

"Ready to get your hands dirty?" Radditz asked.

Kakarot nodded the affirmative, his face set in a serious mask. "If Bulma's in that wreckage somewhere we have to find her."

Radditz nodded and turned to the girl. "Can you take us to the quarry?"

"Yes. I can use Instant Transmission to get us to the east part but we'll have to find another way to the west," she told them already placing two fingers to her forehead.

"Instant Transmission?" Kakarot murmured.

Radditz held up a silencing hand. "I'll explain it later," he told him before returning his attention to the girl. "We'll fly when we get there. Go ahead we're ready."

"Each of you touch my shoulder," she instructed. They did and in the next moment were gone.

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She shoved the gun in the Eighteen's back as she forced her forward back into the dark hallway that lead to the holding blocks. Eighteen knew that if she was ever going to get away now was her opportunity. Though her hands had been bound before leaving the deck she was certain that she could overpower the other woman if she could only separate her from her weapon.

"I said keep it moving blondie," She repeated pushing the girl once again. Much to her surprise the servant stayed where she was standing.

"Your name is She, correct? Doesn't that mean death?" she asked never looking over her shoulder.

"Yes and it will be your death if you don't get going," the blue skinned alien threatened, never seeing the blow that knocked the gun from her hand. She was even more stunned when the other woman's bound hands connected with her jaw causing her to stumble back. Feeling the blood drip down her lip, She growled angrily and charged the other woman, swinging wildly in her fury.

Eighteen easily ducked out of the way of the punch and extended her right foot, falling on her back so that the other woman flipped over her. She let out a gruntle yell as her head hit the floor with a loud thunk and the surprisingly strong blond moved astride her. With one final blow, the captive struck her captor across the face knocking her unconscious.

Eighteen moved quickly searching the woman for anything that would free her. She found a knife just inside the woman's breastplate and quickly cut her binds before sprinting for the exit. At the end of the hall she stopped and peeped around the corner. Seeing that the all was clear she ran down it as fast as she could. She had to find Bulma before anyone knew she was gone, then together they could plan an escape.

She was so caught up in her thoughts that she never noticed the dark hared man that rounded the corner at the other end of the hall. It wasn't until she ran into a solid chest and fell to the ground with the impact that she finally looked up. She was speechless when she did. Even with the passing of so many years his face still held that same youthful appearance. His eyes, however, were much harder than she remembered and were the reason her next word was almost a question.

"Seventeen?"

Juuanagou narrowed his eyes at the whispered word. Very few people knew, let alone used, the nickname that not even he had known where he had picked it up. How the servant, and future whore, knew it was beyond him.

"Seventeen," she repeated as she stood. Then she did the oddest thing. She reached out to touch his cheek and he slapped it away sneering at her.

"What do you think you're doing?"

Her frown deepened and her eyes clouded with confusion. "Seventeen don't you remember me? It's me! Eighteen!" she cried desperately.

She was so close to him that he involuntarily took a step back but then paused as something in her…something in her eyes stopped him.

"The blue-eyed girl," she heard him whisper as he truly looked at her for the first time.

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Finally! That was extremely hard to get out guys so I hope you enjoyed it. Well I must go update other things…oh and Susan. I know it's been a while on The Show but it's kind of on hiatus until I figure out how to get from point A to point B. Since it was you that asked though I promise to start working on it immediately. Anyway, thanks for reading.